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How is Antarctica described?
Often described as a continent of superlatives, Antarctica is not only the world’s southernmost continent. It is also the world’s highest, driest, windiest, coldest, and iciest continent. Antarctica is about 5.5 million square miles (14.2 million square km) in size, and thick ice covers about 98 percent of the land.
Have there been any murders in Antarctica?
Death is rare in Antarctica, but not unheard of. Many explorers perished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in their quests to reach the South Pole, and potentially hundreds of bodies remain frozen within the ice. In the modern era, more Antarctic fatalities are caused by freak accidents.
What does Antarctica look like in the summer?
During summer, Antarctica is on the side of Earth tilted toward the sun. It is always sunny. In winter, Antarctica is on the side of Earth tilted away from the sun. Then, the continent is always dark. Antarctica is a desert. It does not rain or snow a lot there.
What is it like to live in Antarctica?
Today, living in Antarctica is a bit different. But still, an eclectic band of scientists and support personnel are drawn to the continent and, every year, a crew makes their home on “the ice.”
Why is Antarctica the coldest place on Earth?
Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. The temperature in the winter is cold enough to freeze water all the time. The temperature in the middle of Antarctica is much colder than the temperature on the coasts. Antarctica has two seasons: summer and winter. Earth is tilted in space and the direction of tilt never changes.
Why do scientists want to know about Antarctica?
Scientists want to know what the changes in Earth’s climate are doing to Antarctica’s ice sheets. They also want to know what changes in Antarctica’s ice might do to Earth’s climate. One tool that NASA uses is ICESat. That stands for the Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite.